By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
Following a statement 58-39 win over Washington County in the sub-state semifinal on Thursday, the Solomon boys basketball team are on to the final where they will meet Clifton-Clyde for a ticket to state.
The Gorillas enter this contest at 14-6 overall while the 10th-ranked Eagles come in at 15-5 following a 70-26 decimation of Lincoln in the semis.
After a long break thanks to a first-round bye, Solomon didn’t miss a beat in their semifinal matchup, running Washington County out of the gym to move one step closer to their ultimate goal.
“I was pleased with our pressure defense into transition offense,” Gorillas head coach Kyler Stein said. “We caused a lot of turnovers and ran the floor to get some easy buckets. I thought we controlled the tempo of the game and played a very fast game."
Solomon won’t have long to revel in that win however, shifting their focus to an Eagles team that has won four of their last five.
“They’re extremely athletic,” Stein said. “I don't see a weakness in their game. They have guards that can handle the ball and shoot it really well and posts that are physical and intelligent inside. Coach Steinbrock does an extremely good job with them.”
The Eagles have been led by the dynamic duo of Trent Long and Tee Koch who have each tallied 12 points per game this season.
“They really attack downhill well,” he said. “Their guards penetrate and create very well, causing defenses to close out and rotate. We have different defenses we can run effectively so giving them different looks throughout the game will hopefully cause some confusion.”
While Clifton-Clyde will want to push the pace, the Gorillas must stay true to who they are on both sides of the floor, and will need all hands on deck with Caden Acosta gone for the rest of the season.
“We have to be patient and get great looks,” Stein said. “We are capable of getting those but we have to be patient enough to find them. I think getting Hastings and Coup going early will be huge for us as well, they didn't shoot it well Thursday but I don't anticipate that happening again.”
With one more win, Solomon can do something that no other team in their history has done, and advance to play for a state title in Dodge City next week.
“We've had great energy lately,” he said. “The guys were very excited after the semi-final win but not satisfied yet. They set a goal at the beginning of the season and we haven't reached it yet. This team has a chance to make history and make Solomon's first State Tournament ever. I have all the confidence in the world in this group, and I know they'll be ready to go.”
As an added wrinkle, Clifton-Clyde is the host site for this year’s sub-state tournament, meaning the Eagles will have a true home-court advantage on Saturday night.
Tip-off between the Gorillas and Eagles is set for 5:30 pm in Clyde.
For continuing coverage of Solomon’s postseason run, stay tuned to the Salina Post.